Higher Education Links Programme

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Statement.
	Having reviewed the Higher Education Links programme, I have decided to continue with a redesigned programme, maintaining current levels of annual investment (£3 million) but with some modifications to the existing scheme (which will end in March 2006). I expect the new scheme to commence in April 2005, with commitments being made over the following seven years (until March 2012).
	The review report identified a number of strengths of the current scheme, but there were also some areas for improvement. The redesigned programme will tackle these issues.
	The overall goal of the redesigned programme will be the reduction of poverty, the promotion of sustainable development in poor countries and the building of human capital and skills. Only countries where DfID has bilateral country programmes will be eligible for funding. There will therefore be more emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa and low-income countries.
	The revised programme should also support south-south links and links between southern partners and non-UK partners in the north, and it will also give more attention to science and technology. An independent evaluation will take place after five years.
	DfID's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has written to Professor Robert Boucher, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield and chair of the existing Higher Education Links steering committee, setting out the features of the new scheme. His letter is on DfID's website. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women and Equality (Ms Patricia Hewitt) made the following Statement in the other place today.
	Creating a fair and more inclusive society is fundamental to building a prosperous country. Equality and human rights must be at the heart of modern Britain. Discrimination has no place in our society.
	We need a step change in the fight against discrimination. We need to create a culture of respect based on equal value and the dignity and worth of every individual.
	Extending opportunities to all means removing unfair barriers. Delivering prosperity for all means harnessing the skills and potential of every member of society, whatever their background. Equality and human rights matter to everyone—they are not minority concerns.
	Last October, we announced the Government's plan for a single equality body to realise this vision of a fairer, more inclusive and prosperous Britain. Today we are setting out how we propose to deliver that vision. Our White Paper on Fairness for All: A New Commission for Equality and Human Rights detailing our proposals has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	It is a bold and innovative plan. The new commission will have a dual remit to challenge discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and human rights.
	We believe there is an opportunity for it to create a strong, proactive relationship with private sector employers, both large and small, and service providers to maximise progress towards equality.
	The Commission for Equality and Human Rights will bring together the work of three existing equality commissions—the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). It will also support new laws outlawing workplace and vocational training discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, sexual orientation and, in time, age.
	We owe the existing commissions a debt of gratitude for their work in changing attitudes and practice on disability, gender and racial equality and their hard work in bringing us to this point. Now we are ready to adopt fresh approaches to meet new challenges.
	In making today's announcement, we have taken account of the responses to the Government's consultation document Equality and Diversity: Making It Happen and the sixth report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
	The White Paper owes much to the discussions of the CEHR task force whose membership reflected the broad range of interests involved in this issue, including the existing commissions. The task force advised government on a number of key issues for the new body through an innovative and open process.
	We are grateful to all its members for so willingly sharing their depth of expertise. Their participation and contributions are an important aspect of our wider policy development, and have informed the White Paper significantly.
	The White Paper sets out the proposed vision, functions, powers and governance arrangements for the CEHR. It outlines the work the body will be expected to carry out to support key stakeholders; it sets out the Scottish and Welsh dimensions of the new body and maps out the road to implementation.
	The Core Duties of the New Body 
	The proposed core duties of the CEHR set out in the document will be to:
	Encourage awareness and good practice on equality and diversity.
	Promote equality of opportunity between people in the different groups protected by discrimination law.
	Promote awareness and understanding of human rights.
	Work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination and harassment.
	Promote good relations among different communities and between these communities and wider society.
	Additional responsibilities will include:
	Keeping relevant legislation under review.
	Acting as a centre of expertise on equality and human rights.
	Key Issues in the White Paper
	The increasing complexities of our diverse society require appropriate tools to challenge discrimination and enforce the law. Our proposals build on the existing commissions' powers and create a selection of tools for the CEHR to enforce discrimination law effectively.
	The White Paper sets out detailed proposals on the role of the CEHR in promoting a culture of respect for human rights and improving public service delivery. The human rights framework will also be used to help balance potentially conflicting rights.
	The Government propose that the CEHR will have an obligation to consult stakeholders on its strategic plan. The CEHR will clearly set out how, when and with whom it intends to consult.
	To ensure experience and expertise is not lost from the existing commissions, the CEHR board will also, for a transitional period, have three additional reserved seats for a commissioner from the CRE, the DRC and the EOC.
	The White Paper recognises the distinctive issues that arise for disabled people in the establishment of the CEHR and the need to ensure effective transition from the DRC. The Government propose that the nominated transitional DRC commissioner is appointed to sit on the CEHR board until vesting day. After that date, we will ensure, via a statutory requirement, that at least one person who has, or has had, a disability is appointed to the CEHR board.
	The White Paper also proposes a disability committee, with disabled people making up the majority of its members. This committee will have authority to set strategy, develop policy and monitor delivery for specific areas of the CEHR's disability work, and will be subject to a mandatory review after five years of the continuing case for the committee. This will give disabled people a clear voice in the CEHR's work.
	We recognise the unique and important local racial equality work that has historically been supported by the CRE. The White Paper proposes a commitment to maintaining existing levels of support for local race work.
	The White Paper also confirms that the Government will start detailed, preparatory work on the nature and shape of a new statutory duty on public bodies to promote gender equality in fulfilment of its longstanding commitment to introduce such a duty. This duty will oblige public bodies to ensure that their actions (as either employers or service providers) will promote equality of opportunity between women and men and make public services more responsive to their different needs. Part of the preparatory work will involve learning from the experiences of the public sector duty introduced for race through the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, and will be informed by the proposed public sector duty for disability. The Government will consult interested stakeholders and parties as this work develops.
	Establishing the CEHR will require primary legislation. We intend to bring a Bill before Parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows. The commission will not be fully operational before the end of 2006 at the earliest. A planning phase, beginning shortly, will become progressively more detailed over the next 12 to 18 months. Plans for bringing in the new strands of equality, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age are outlined in the White Paper.
	The Government look forward to consulting and debating on all these issues and particularly welcome views responding to the White Paper's questions on regional and local issues and how the body should work with stakeholders. We welcome the 11th report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the structures, functions and powers of the new body, and will consider this further alongside responses to the consultation.

British Council Art Exhibitions Overseas

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The British Council, although not a government department, receives a substantial grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The council regularly organises or sponsors exhibitions overseas of works of art loaned from national galleries and private collections in the United Kingdom. It provides certain assurances or guarantees in respect of loss or damage while these works are on loan.
	In the year ended 31 March 2004, the British Council provided such assurances to six national lenders and undertakings to 206 private lenders. The value of the contingent liabilities that remained outstanding as at 31 March 2004 was £2,807,500 in respect of national lenders and £7,247,453 in respect of private lenders.

Firearms

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office consultation paper on firearms controls is published today. Copies have been placed in the House Library. The paper invites a wideranging debate on the principles that should underpin firearms licensing and how the existing system might be improved. People will have until 31 August to respond.

Design Coding

Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is today launching the design coding pilots programme. Kate Barker in her review of housing supply identified significant levels of undersupply, and a lack of certainty and speed in the planning process. This programme aims to test the use of design coding as a means to accelerate the delivery of housing while maintaining the high level of design content required to ensure that new development contributes fully towards improving the quality of our villages, towns and cities.
	A design code is a set of specific rules or requirements to guide the physical development of a site or a place. The aim of design coding is to provide clarity as to what constitutes acceptable design quality, and thereby a level of certainty for developers and the local community alike, that can help to accelerate the delivery of good quality new development.
	Operating over a number of different development circumstances, the pilots will be carefully monitored over the coming year and will provide the means to evaluate various models and approaches for developing, adopting and implementing design codes. Depending on the outcome, the review may inform the development of future planning policy.
	The Government wish to test the potential for design coding as a means of delivering higher quality development at greater speed through the planning process. The development projects which we have chosen to monitor and evaluate in order to assess the effectiveness of the coding approach are subject to approval through the planning system in the normal way. It is possible that some of these projects may, at a later stage, be referred to the Secretary of State for decision (for example on whether an application should be called in for his own determination or on an appeal against the decision of a local planning authority).
	For the avoidance of doubt, partners involved in the design coding exercise should understand that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is encouraging the use of coding on these sites without prejudice to any decisions the Secretary of State may be required to take through his formal role in the planning process. The fact that development is proposed in accordance with a design code does not imply that the Secretary of State is content for any particular development proposal to proceed. Any decisions which fall to be made will be taken having regard to the facts and merits of the case, taking into consideration all relevant matters.

Cardiac Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health (Miss Johnson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	The National Service Framework for coronary heart disease, published in March 2000, heralded a new era for the development of fast and modern services for the prevention and treatment of heart disease.
	With significant progress now secured for patients with coronary artery disease, the National Health Service is now well placed to deliver similar improvements for patients with arrhythmia and with syndromes that can lead to sudden cardiac death.
	Dr Roger Boyle, the national director for heart disease, is today launching a consultation paper on a new national service framework chapter for these conditions. The views received will be considered by a new expert group which is being established by the Department of Health to take forward the task of writing the new national service framework chapter.
	The Government have already shown their determination to tackle coronary heart disease through the publication of the National Service Framework. The prospect of a new national service framework chapter setting out the standards and models of care for patients with arrhythmia marks a major step forward for cardiac patients in England.
	Copies of New NSF Chapter on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death: A Consultation Paper have been placed in the Library.